Brexit: Irish Prime Minister says 'door remains open' for UK to stay in EU

Leo Varadkar with Theresa May (Getty Images)

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has become the latest European politician to say the "door" is open if the UK wants to stay in the EU.

The new Taoiseach said the Ireland had never wanted the UK to leave the bloc, the single market or customs union.

It follows similar comments by European Council President Donald Tusk and other leaders on the continent, many of whom were arriving in Brussels for a summit.

The land border between Ireland and Northern Ireland is due to be one of the issues dealt with earliest in Brexit talks.

As he walked into the Council building, Mr Vardarker said: "The door remains open for the UK to stay in the European Union."

Earlier in the day Mr Tusk lamented the UK's pending departure, saying: "Some of my British friends have even asked me whether Brexit could be reversed and whether I could imagine an outcome where the UK stays part of the EU.

"I told them that, in fact, the European Union was built on dreams that seemed impossible to achieve. So, who knows?"

Referencing the John Lennon song Imagine, he added: "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."

Earlier this month French President Emmanuel Macron said that the "door remains open" to the UK if it wishes to reverse Brexit.

Wolfgang Schäuble, the powerful German finance minister, sent out an identical message – saying the UK would find "open doors" in Brussels if it decided not to leave the EU.

In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Mr Schäuble said: "The British Government has said we will stay with the Brexit.

"We take the decision as a matter of respect. But if they wanted to change their decision, of course, they would find open doors."